肯求 (kěn qiú) is an archaic or literary variant of 恳求 (kěn qiú), meaning 'to earnestly beg' or 'to plead with deep sincerity.' Though the character 肯 commonly means 'to be willing' in modern Chinese, in this compound it functions as a phonetic-semantic variant of 恳 — sharing pronunciation and conveying earnestness, humility, and emotional urgency. The second character 求 means 'to ask for' or 'to seek,' reinforcing the act of making a heartfelt request.

This term appears almost exclusively in classical texts, formal literary writing, or highly stylized speech — not in everyday conversation. It conveys a sense of profound respect, desperation, or moral weight, often used when someone appeals to authority, elders, or divine forces. Learners should recognize it in reading but avoid using it in spoken or informal contexts, where 恳求 or simpler alternatives like 请求 (qǐng qiú) are appropriate.